With the Yankees 41-21 since May 30, the folks who wrote them off completely look pretty bad right now. They are probably still dead in the AL East race, but it’s hard to pick anybody else for the Wild Card.
Looking at their batting and pitching numbers over that stretch, in which they have scored a staggering 6.56 Runs/Game while allowing 4.44 (good, but would be tied for fifth in the AL if they did it all season):
1. Are Johnny Damon’s days numbered? I guess with Abreu’s contract up after this season and the club option a prohibitive $16 million, maybe not, but Abreu (.333/.550/.412), Matsui and Melky (.343/.510/.389) are all killing the ball while Damon (.249/.359/.344) continues to struggle, yet neither Damon nor Melky – and, some would say, Abreu – has the power for a corner slot or DH. I could see the Yanks souring on Damon and deciding to slot Melky in CF next year.
2. A-Rod is still the MVP – they would have fallen hopelessly out of the race without him.
3. Cano hitting .356 pretty much puts to bed the concern that last season was some sort of fluke.
4. The starting rotation has escaped the reality-show feel of the early season, but it’s still soft – only Wang (10-1, 3.15 in this stretch) has pitched like a guy you would want to send out in a big game in October. Man, this staff gives up a lot of hits.
5. Shelly Duncan has taken over for Shane Spencer in the role originated by Kevin Maas.
6. While Mariano has been Mariano again (1.16 ERA, 32/1 K/BB ratio, no HR), it’s really Vizcaino who has provided the crucial role with 6 wins and a 1.36 ERA in 33 appearances. The lefties have done well, too, though, Villone and Myers.
7 thoughts on “Charging”
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I do think Damon’s days in pinstripes are numbered. Melky is a good player, but like Endy Chavez with the Mets, he can only really be justified as an everyday player if he can play centerfield. I’d look for the Yanks to try to aquire a big thumper to replace Abreu in right.
Have to agree. Now that Clemens is beaning the opposition they are firing on all cylinders.
Innings by starters is still too low which should result in a bullpen implosion soon.
That’s why they’ve been replacing all their relievers (trading Proctor, demoting Bruney, and reducing the importance of Farnsworth). Obviously, the guys they are replacing them with need to get the job done, though.
Footsteps, what footsteps? I don’t here anything. I think.
Clemens is a total fraud. And the classic, chicken-hawk bully. He will hit batters knowing he never gets to the plate. The biger the game, the smaller he gets.
I despise Clemens, and wonder why he got a pass on steroids. Roughly 50% of the busted users are pitchers, and he is the Bonds of pitching. That said, his action in Toronto was perfect.